Circle Backwards
by Roseprincess1
Summary: After escaping captuer while on Cybertron, Angel and Prime flee into the ruins of the cities. While there she begins to learn more about where he comes from and why the war is being fought.
1. Default Chapter

Notes and Legal Stuff: Hi there. Well here it is folks.. hope this was fast enough. Quick as i could with two jobs. Any how enjoy R&R. Oh yah... Legal Stuff: Dont own TF's, just borrowing them. Dont own the song, just borrowing it. please don't sue me.

RP1

Circle Backwards: Part 1

I woke up feeling like my whole bloody head was ready to explode, to top off all of that I had no clue where I was or for that matter how I had even gotten there. It was supposed to have been a simple little investigation. Just go to this spot and see if the Decpticons had set up the space bridge there. Though honestly? I didn't even know what that meant or what we were going to do if this thing did turn out to be there. I was trusting that Optimus did though and I was of the mind that I could handle my self.

Now here I was laying on something cold and hard, realizing that I had been completely and utterly wrong on that account. I just wanted to lay there, I really did. Just lay there and wait till the pounding in my head finally stopped. But someone else out there had other ideas. Some thing slammed into something else and the clanging reverberations literally jarred me into a sitting postion.

"WHAT?" I jumped up looked around and then wished I hadn't because of what my head did.

"There now," A voice with a slightly English accent said. "It's alive. NOW will you be silent?"  
I held on to the sides of my head for another few minutes and then look up. I looked up and realized I was also looking out through bars.  
"What the?"

"ANGEL?" Optimus asked frantically from some where next to me.

I looked in the direction of his voice and found him. He was shackled to the wall next to me and had a look of utter relief in his eyes at seeing me awake.

"Op? What happened?" I looked around and finally lit on another transformer that would have been looking down his nose at me. If he's had one.

"We captured you human." He told me with the English voice from before.

"Uhh.. At the risk of sounding like a smart ass… I WASN'T talking to you Cyclops! So just shut your… whatever and let me talk to him." Then I turned back to Prime. "Wanna tell me how we got caught?"  
Some how he actually grinned at me slightly, "That's what happens when you drive into a hidden space bridge."

I opened my mouth say something and I got the distinct impression that the purple one was staring at the back of my head. So I turned back to face him. While I was doing that I got a pretty good idea of where I was. It was a brig, a pretty nasty one for that matter. Optimus was chained to the wall and I turned out to be stuck in something that looked like a giant bird cage. I took all this in and then finally looked back at the one eyed purple one.  
"Is there something you want?" I griped.

"Well I can see what Megatron said was true, you are an impudent little flesh being."

"Chrome boy is just mad over the pink nail polish." I glared out at him, "So I guess your one of his lackeys?"

"Lackeys?" Again if he had a nose he would have been looking down it at me, "I happen to be the commander that was left in charge of Cybertron until Lord Megatron returns."

"Oh." I blinked at him. "And that's supposed to impress me?"

"IF I were you female, I would watch your tongue. The only reason you are intact is due to the fact of your status as Prime's life mate."

"Gee that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy." I crossed my arms and looked him over.

Honestly this one was no where near as attractive looking as some of the others I had met. Compared to Optimus this guy was down right ugly. He walked off for the moment and left me there in my cage next to Optimus.

"Well this is a fine mess." I sighed and leaned back. "Alyssa's going to have a conniption fit when we get home for not bringing them with us."

"Prowl's probably already having one," Optimus said echoing my sigh.

I scooched over and looked out at him taking stock and trying to make sure that he was alright. "They didn't hurt you did they?"

Prime shook his head at me. "No, I was like this when I woke up. Something they did to the transport wavelength on the Space bridge, it was designed to knock who ever it teleported off line."

I shut my eyes and put my head back, "Thank God. I thought they might have …"

"Used you to make me agree to being held?" He shook his head, "No, though I was starting to worry when you weren't waking up there."

"Sorry about that." I looked out at the purple creep again. "So how DO we get out of this mess?"  
"Shockwave doesn't know about the transmat…." Prime trailed off.

"I see. So if I can get out…"

He nodded at me, and that left me to think about how I was going to get my self down.

While I was wracking my brain on how to get away from the purple people eater on cybertron, back on earth Wheeljack and Alyssa were at the ark and as predicted Alyssa was just about to give birth to a heard of kittens.  
"HOW! How did this happen?" She demanded.

"As far as we can tell," Prowl replied, "The whole lead on the space bridge was a trap. There was one there but it wasn't where we expected it to be."  
"So where was it?" Wheeljack asked.

"It was here," Prowl pointed to a spot on the map Telatran was showing. "When they pulled up to this place, it just turned on. There wasn't any thing they could have done to stop it."

"There must have been something! WE should have gone with them! But NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I had to go show my boy friend off to my dad!" Alyssa wailed. "How could I have been so stupid and let her go off alone! I should have …"

Wheeljack grabbed her by the shoulders and whirled her around to get her attention, "Listen to me! RIGHT NOW. This wasn't your fault, or mine. There is no way we could have predicted this would happen."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "But jack we joked about it. We knew that something like this would happen!"

"Listen to Me Miss Alyssa," Prowl told her, "The truth is, if you and Wheeljack had been there. Then all of you would have been caught and they would have four hostages, not two."

"But maybe…" She tired again.

"There is no maybe to it," He touched something on panel and a display popped up. "See this? This is a map of the wavelength they used on the bridge. It would knock anything off line."

She looked at it for a second and then visibly wilted.

"At least shed have someone to help." Alyssa told them softly.

Wheeljack turned on his own transmat and changed to human size. A few seconds later he had his arms around her.

"We'll find them Alyssa. We'll get them back." He felt her hug on to him and bury her face in his arms. "We haven't gone through everything we have just to loose them now."


	2. Circle Backwards: Part 2

Circle Backwards: Part 2

I spent the night stuck in that stupid bird cage wishing that Shockwave would just go the hell away and give me a chance to pick the lock on my cage. For once in my life I was glad I had worn my metal hair sticks. It really wouldn't take me much to spring the lock with one of them and so I had them out and hidden in my hands looking for some chance to get out.

It never came. He stood there all night long and kept an eye on both of us. It was pretty aggravating actually. Not to mention uncomfortable as hell in that stupid lil' cage. Still both Optimus and I did our best to stay as patient as possible until some how his attention lapsed. In the mean time I was getting so bored that I was about to scream. So I decided that if I was going to be miserable, ole one I was going to be miserable too.

"HEY Ugly!" I yelled.

"What human?" Shockwave shot back.

"Well a couple of things actually," I crossed my arms and looked out at him. "First off you can tell me why you kidnapped me and Optimus?"

I nodded to Prime, who was still nailed to the wall next to me.

"It was the most logical move human," Some how I got the looking down the nose impression again. "In order to get what we want from the Autobots we needed someone to ransom. Who better than their commander and his lifemate?"

"That's supposed to make sense?" I griped, "What the heck are you trying to get from them any how." I stopped and thought about it for a second, "Oh no, not the yoyo with the purple windows."

"Indeed."

"So you were going to trade the two of us for Motormaster?" Prime asked.

"Don't you THINK that's just a BIT of OVER kill?" I snapped.

Shockwave had been looking at Optimus while he was talking but now he snapped back around and looked at me.

"I don't know what you are talking about female, and I have no intention of trying to understand you. We just needed someone that they would be willing to trade for."

I slapped my face in to my hand for a second, "Ya know we were going to trade him for something else. A base, Energon, hell even just a promise for you jerks to leave us alone for a while! WHY do you have to do everything the hard way?"

I heard a funny smothered sound and I guessed Prime was trying to not laugh at me giving this creep a hard time. Honestly I didn't care. I had made up my mind that I didn't like Shockwave and I had every intention of letting him know it.

"I do not expect a human, MUCH LESS one that is allied with the Autobots to expect how the machinations of the Decepticon army works. All you have to do female is stay in there and accept your role as hostage."

"I don't HAVE to do any thing creepy," I folded my arms and "hmmphed" at him.

He wasn't very impressed and I could tell he was trying to think of something to say to me. I now had his attention and he didn't care about Prime for the moment. Which I realized was exactly what we wanted. Now all I had to do was to keep his attention long enough for a certain Red and blue commander to get loose. I put my best snarky grin on and got ready to let him have it with both barrels. He was one of those snotty, logical, Mr. Spock types. Getting on his nerves and making him mad was going to be my pleasure.

"You have great deal of nerve for a creature that is effectively at my mercy." He told me flatly, "It would be much more logical for you to be silent and cooperate."

"Logic?" I made a face at him, "In case you haven't noticed, I DON'T do logic."

"It occurred to me," He replied, "Thought if that comes from being human or from being female, even an intellect like mine couldn't fathom."

I glared again, "Okay. The human cracks I was expecting. But the sexism I don't have to deal with. You can take it and stuff it up your exhaust. Sides the only reason you make fun of women is probably because you CANT get one!"

"You make suppositions about me?" He crossed his arms.

"You're bloody well right I make them." I crossed my own arms and mirrored his stance. "OH and by the way. What's with the superiority crap?"

"Your meaning escapes me yet again."

"Okay well first off, if your voice gets any flatter its going to turn into a pancake. Secondly, what I mean is why do you go around letting on like your better than other people?"

"Because I am."

"Nice to know your confident handsome, but to be honest you don't have any thing to be over confident about." I shot back.

"Of course I do. I have every reason to portray superiority to both you and Prime. Decepticons are superior to Autobots and Cybertronians are superior to humans. It is not being boastful or arrogant. It is simply a matter of fact."

"Really? You think you're better than me?" I grinned.

"As I said before it is a matter of fact human. I do not have to "THINK" it. I know it."

I nodded, "And I suppose you "Know" you're better than Optimus as well?"

"I see that you begin to see reason female." He nodded at me.

"And I guess you "Know" that there is nothing that a Decepticon like you isn't better at than any Autobot."

He held his head up as if he were highly pleased that I had come to this conclusion, "Indeed."

"Really?" I smiled. "CLAP."

Okay I really have seen to many old science fiction movies, because I flat well know that came from one of them. Still it was the perfect thing to say to this pompous ass. I could tell it was the perfect thing to say to him because it took about five minutes for it to register with him. Then he stiffened and some how managed, despite not having a face, to look utterly and completely outraged at me. Which was exactly what I had wanted, I now had his full attention and that left Prime free to pull his trick. I kept on grinning at him knowing that this would make him even worse.

"You heard me big fella. You think you're so bad, so smart, and so perfect. That you're so much better than me because I'm a mere human. That your so much better than Prime because he's a worthless Autobot. Then go on and prove it too me."

"YOU WRETCHED …" He was literally fuming.

If he had ears there would have been steam coming out of both of them. That just made me keep on going.

"Oh did I make you mad?" I asked. "Well I would apologize to you, but in a few seconds your not even going to be awake to care."

"What are you talking about you miserable little…" He suddenly froze and snapped around to see if Optimus was still against the wall next to me.

Guess what?

"Looking for something Shockwave?"

The purple transformer whirled around to see where Prime's voice was coming from and found him just in time to see his fist come flying. Then he was on the floor and I could almost see the little tweeting birds flying around.

"That was good," I told Optimus as I popped the lock with my hair stick.

"That was good?" He raised one eye ridge at me, "No my darling, lovely, genius of a Lifemate. "CLAP" Now **_THAT_** was good."


	3. Circle Backwards: Part 3

Circle Backwards: Part 3

Getting out of there was simple enough; for the most part all of Shockwave's stooges went running to see what had happened to their boss. So that left the two of us a pretty much open escape route. We got out and into the surrounding city quickly enough and then started looking for some where to go and hide until we could find a way to contact earth.   
In the mean time I was getting my first real look at the place my man came from. Honestly? I don't know what I had been expecting, but I have to admit it was some what stranger than I had thought. The fact that everything was built for some one Prime's size or bigger didn't bother me that much, I was used to that from the ark. No what I have to admit got to me more than any thing else was the condition of the planet. I had hoped it would be like earth in one respect. That it would be alive some how, but from what I could see out of Optimus' windows as we drove away from the city, it wasn't. I hated to think this way but there wasn't any thing there that I thought would be worth fighting for. The world my little human eyes could see was something close to devastated.

We finally got far enough away from Shockwave's tower and found a place to hide for the time being. It looked like it might have been some kind of storehouse at some point. But now it was nothing more than a burned out hulk with a rather large hole in its dome shaped roof. Still it was a good place to hide; I would have to admit that I would never have bothered to look there. So I made the best of it.

Optimus let me out of his cab and transformed to go and take a look around to make sure that there was no one following us. While I started rummaging around in my bags looking for something a bit warmer to wear, besides being almost completely desiccated. The planet Cybertron was actually pretty darned cold.

I was in long pants by the time Prime came back, and I got a good look at him. The look on his face told me that while we weren't being followed something was bothering him. So I decided to stick my foot in my mouth like always and ask.

"Okay so what's up with the long face?" I demanded.

"Wha?" He looked down at me and blinked, "Oh sorry I was just…"

"JUST What?" I prompted as he trailed off.

"Just thinking about what's become of this planet," He lowered his eye some, "It's not like I remember it."

"No I don't suppose so," I found a smooth spot on the floor and then looked up at him as I settled down, "Come on Optimus, tell me what's the matter with you. I don't think I've ever seen that expression on your face before."

"Strange that you put it like that Angel," He eased down next to me making me grateful for some warmth.

"Your one of the few people in the universe that can read me through this thing," He continued as he tapped his mask with on finger.

"Oh," I settled down and thought for a second then shrugged. My curiosity was getting the better of me and I had to know even if he got mad at me for asking.

"So why do you…" I stopped suddenly feeling stupid.

"Wear the mask?" He finished for me, "It wasn't my idea love."

Now I blinked up at him, "You didn't always wear it?"

"No," He replied softly, "There was a time, a very long time ago, that I didn't have to wear it."

I noticed the look on his face had gone from one of slightly thoughtful, to downright up set. So I was planning on dropping the subject and told him so.

"I can see it's something you don't like to talk about babe," I sighed, "I guess I shouldn't have asked."

Prime smiled slightly and then looked back down at me, "No if any one has a right to know it's you I suppose." He reached up and disconnected it from his face. "In a way I guess you could say this thing is the cause of the whole war."

"What?" Now I was completely confused.

"If I hadn't been so stupid and naive then it never would have happened." He stopped for a second, "My getting the mask I mean. If that had never happened, maybe some how this war would never had occurred. Or at least my self and every one I love wouldn't be caught up in it."

"Optimus, you don't have to tell me!" I stated to him fiercely.

"Yes I do," He shook his head, "you're a part of this war and you have a right to know how it got started."

"If it's going to make you…"

He held up a hand for me to stop, "I'm not sad Angel, I don't think that's possible when you're around me. But I do have regrets that stem back to this thing. I want you to know what they are."

I nodded solemnly and looked back up at him, "Alright then, tell me."

So he did. He told me the whole story of how it happened and how a simple archivist in training, working at the docks to make ends meet, had stumbled onto a conspiracy bigger than him self or his whole safe little world. Then how that whole world had come crashing down around him as he realized what those he had once thought were good people had turned out to be monsters. Friends, lovers, family, everything had suddenly been consumed in that incident. Most of all he had woken up on that table with his face hidden from the whole universe.

The one who had repaired him and told him that this was to help make him more authorities, it would give him a way to hide his emotions and seem more like the commander he had now been forced to become. To him it was a mark of the mistake he had made, a symbol of the shame he felt at having trusted this vile person, at having been so stupidly open minded and not taken into account what had to be the signs of their evil.

That was probably why, he told me, that very few people out there, until recently, had known that it came off. He wanted them to think he had no emotions, because until the two of us met and fell in love, he hadn't thought he was worthy of having them.

All I could do at this revelation was sit there and stare at him in complete and utter shock. I would never have ever guessed that under the stoic commander there was a very sad young man who had been forced to leave his whole life behind him, all because he made one mistake, and that mistake had pushed his destiny into the forefront.

"You mean he shot you? Just because…" I stared up at him in shock , "Oh God Optimus. No wonder you keep fighting him."

"I wish I never had," He told me softly, "All I've succeeded in doing is making things worse." He looked out the crack in the wall, "I knew it was bad, I'd seen it before. For some reason though I just never let it register."

"I'm sorry Optimus. I really am" I snuggled up against him.

He was about to say something else when we heard them coming. Some of Shocks' goons must have picked up on our trail. So that meant it was time to hit the road and find another hiding spot.

Optimus stood up from me and snapped his mask back into place then transformed. "Come on, let's go. No reason to stay here any more," He stopped and then half heartedly finished. "It's not safe I mean."

I pulled my self up and got into his cab. The two of us pulled off about five minutes before the goons made it there. They were going one way and we were heading some where else, hoping that there would be some where safe there.

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"Iacon," He replied, "If there's any thing left."


	4. Circle Backwards: Part 4

Circle Backwards: Part 4

I didn't know much about the place where he was taking us, just that there should be someone there that could help us. Someone some where that would allow us to contact the base and get back some how.

One impression I did get from Optimus though was that he was under the belief that there would be some thing there when we got there. That this city where he had lived before he had come to earth or even come into command would still be standing. When we came over the rise and saw what was there, I think I almost heard his heart break.

"Oh Primus no."

I got down out of his cab and heard him transform behind me as I stared down at what was left of the city. It had probably been beautiful beyond compare at one point, now only the core buildings near the center of it were still standing. Like the rest of the planet everything here had the burned out steel color, and as far as I could tell there wasn't much alive there. I stopped for a second before I headed down into what I wanted to call a city but couldn't. I stopped and I looked up at Optimus, and almost started crying. If ever a man's heart was in his eyes it was right then. I've only seen looks like that once before in my life. It was the looks on the faces of the people in New York the day that the WTC died.

"Optimus?" I asked.

He shook his head at me, "I had hoped, some how that It was still standing. That something was still here."

"I'm so sorry baby, I …" I reached out to put my hand on him and could almost feel him flinch away from me.  
"I'm sorry Angel," He told me when he realized what he'd done, "I just..."

"Its okay," I looked down at the ruined mass of his city, "This was your home right? Before…"  
"Yes," He nodded, "Before everything."

"Then come on," I took off and started down into the place, "All of it can't be ruined. There has to be some thing some where."

I felt him look at me for a second and then follow me down into the city. Turns out I was right; it wasn't all ruined, just mostly ruined. Here and there we found small places; pockets that had some how escaped the devastation. That had, despite the best efforts of the war, some how managed to stay beautiful. One of these turned out to be a small park near what I guess had once been a university, or what ever they had on this world. The fountain wasn't running but most of the things that had been there were still standing. Half way into the thing we even found what looked like a park bench there just waiting for him.

Optimus sat down on the thing and proceeded to stare into space for a few seconds and get a smile on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"I was hoping some day you would get to see this place." His face softened. "This is where I met the first girl I loved. I think it was only right that I share it with the one I love now."

"Your first girl," I sobered, "Elita."

"I'm sorry," He said quickly, "I shouldn't have..."

"What was she like?" I asked surprising him.

"Well she was …" He thought for a second, "She was a lot like you, though, no nonsense, not a damsel in distress for sure."

I had to grin at that. "Go on. I want to know, I really do."

"You sure?" He looked down at me.  
"Optimus, I love you. I'm secure in that, I know that you love me too." I smiled up at him, "I'm not going to be jealous of a memory."

He looked me over again for a second and then nodded, "She had a good sense of humor, but could be very serious some times. She was born; I guess you could say, to be a leader like me."

"Was she pretty?" I looked up at him.

"She was," He stood up for and changed his size to meet mine, "She was very beautiful. She wasn't like you though. You could see the years in her face, the war. You don't have that, thank Primus. I loved her very much."

"I'm sure she loved you too," I put my arms around him, "As much as I do."

Prime nodded absently and then looked down at me, "I think she would have approved of you, of us. She always said my first real love was words, its only fitting that I married a writer."

I had to grin at that one. "So you were going to be an archivist? A librarian?"

"Basically," I felt him start walking and drawing me into the park, "That's what I wanted."

"I'm Sorry," I looked down at the ground, "So many of your dreams got ruined by the war. Even your town."

We went deeper in to the unspoiled area and he was quiet for a long time.

"I guess," He stopped then sighed, "I think I knew, deep down what I would find. I was kidding my self hoping that it would still be alright."

"You weren't being stupid," I cuddled against his arm, "you were being normal. Every one every where hopes that the place they belong will always last."

"I guess that's the problem," He muttered, "Maybe I just don't belong here any more."

"I don't know about that," I turned and looked back at the park, "Someday you can come back and fix it all."

"Your right of course, eventually the chance to start again will come." He stopped and looked back at it to, "I suppose that's why I do keep on fighting, for a chance to start again."

I smiled to my self, reached up and hooked my fingers under the edge of his mask and pulled him down to me.

"That's right," I told Optimus as I kissed him lightly, "Don't you ever give up hope."

He straightened up and hugged me to him for a moment, "I don't think you would let me even if I wanted to. Primus knows if I got like that you'd probably kick my skid plate half way across the galaxy."

"NAH!" I shook my head, "Waste of a perfectly good skid plate."

We laughed about that for a few seconds and Prime sobered up once more, staring in to the unharmed area of the park.

"Well come on," He returned to his proper size, "Lets go see if there is any one out there that can help us."

"Right!" I replied as he transformed.

We drove off into the rest of the city and something occurred to me as we kept going deeper into those remains. Prime knew where he was going and what he was looking for, or at least he had an idea.

"Can I ask you something babe?" I finally piped up.

"Where are we going right?" He shot back.

"Stop doing that," I frowned, "But yeah where ARE we going?"

"If I'm not mistaken, a friend of mine is still there. I think he should be able to help us contact the base."


	5. Circle Backwards: Part 5

Circle Backwards: Part 5

Optimus pulled up at a specific spot and stopped. I sat there looking out of his windshield for a while wondering where this person we were looking for exactly was.

"So, your friend is around here some where?" I asked.

"The lift to his lab should be here," His cab door opened for me and I slid down, "Let me take a look around and see if I can find the way in."

So I stood there, once again noticing how bloody cold the planet was and waiting for either the door to show or the person to show. This kept Optimus' attention for a few minutes and so I was left alone. I found a place to sit down and kept watching and waiting for something to happen. I had just gotten comfortable when He reappeared.

"Hey," He motioned for me to come over, "I found it."

I got down and went over to where he was standing and indeed there was a large lift there. I have to admit I was a bit uncertain about riding the thing down into that shaft but it was better than being chased by the goon squad so when Optimus held out his hand for me I got on, and the two of us took the lift down. We took the lift down got off and stopped cold.

The reason the two of us froze happened to be a pack of what looked like teenagers or what ever Autobots called them, holding all of us at gun point.

"IS there something you forgot to mention to me Optimus?" I asked.

"Apparently so," He held up the hand that I wasn't sitting on and stared at the kids that were aiming at us.

Thankfully at this point some one came around the corner and saw what they were all doing. I heard someone behind them give a smothered laugh and then walk up into the light.

"Well Optimus," The new comer smiled at us, "I Suppose I should introduce my guests."

"That might be a good idea Alpha." He kept his hand up, "Or at least get them to calm down some."

I still was looking at the rather large firearms that were being pointed at us and just had to make a comment about it.

"Crap and I thought Earth Kids were hyper!" that's when it occurred to me that I had my hands up to.

The new person that Optimus had called Alpha laughed again and finally came into the light where I could get a good look at him. He looked like a mechanical version of a cross between Obi-wan from Star Wars and Gandalf from Lord of the rings, and he had the prerequisite wise old man grin plastered on his face.

"You must be Miss Angel," He held his hand out to me, "Welcome to Cybertron, My name is Alpha Trion."

"It's nice to meet sir, it really is." I made a motion over his shoulder, "But could you…?"

"Indeed," He turned back to the kids, "it's alright neither of them are going to attack us."

The one that was up front of the group, was the first one to calm down and lower his guns and take a good look at the two of us. He red and orange coloring and there was something about him that reminded me of Optimus for a few seconds, as he came to the conclusion that the two of us were who we said we were.

"Sorry about that," He held out his hand to Prime, "Shockwave has been harassing us a lot lately."

Optimus shook his hand and nodded to him, "Considering where the two of us came from, I can understand why you are being cautious."

The rest of the kids calmed down at this and we got introduced to all of them, who in turn wound up being completely and utterly fascinated by me. The fact that I was married to Prime didn't seem to bother them in any way, most of them seemed happy that he had found some one. They weren't the only one's that seemed happy about this either. The older one Alpha Trion seemed just as pleased that he had managed to move on.

Once the introductions were over Optimus and I wound up going with him into another part of the lab and the kids moved off to some where else in the base and we told him what had happened and how we got in this particular mess. Thankfully the dear old guy had a communications array and was more than happy to let us use it.

We wound up following him to the main com station and Prime got to work setting up the controls. This left me alone with some time to talk to him while I was waiting for the explosion that I knew would come once we got in touch with the ark.

"So," I looked up at him.

"What is on your mind Miss Angel?" He smiled down at me.

"Oh nothing much," I shrugged, "Just getting used to being some where completely different from home."

"Indeed," He nodded down at me.

I stopped talking and went back to watching Prime play around with the array trying to find the signal.

"You are truly in love with him," Alpha asked, "aren't you?"

"Very much so," I answered.

"I'm glad. I was worried that he would never be happy again." The older Autobot sighed.

Then he smiled down at me, "So I hear that you and your friend have managed to give Megatron a taste of his own medicine?"

"No," I shook my head at him, "After everything I've seen that he's responsible for I don't think anything I could do would ever be enough to get even with him."

"I see," He was quiet for a moment, "Well I am certainly glad that you are not taking any of this lightly my lady, but you have accomplished more than you realize."

"I suppose so," I shrugged, "Its not like I was trying specifically, I just..."

He smiled down at me and nodded again, "I understand."

I opened my mouth to say some more about this conversation when the predicted verbal explosion hit signaling that Optimus had gotten the communications array working and signaling who was on the other end of the thing back on earth.

"ANGEL!"

I winced visibly and walked over to look up at the screen. Just as I thought there was Alyssa, about to have a conniption fit down at the ark.

"WHERE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ARE YOU?" She demanded.

"Where do you think I am?" I sighed.

She would have kept going if Prowl hadn't grabbed her and forcibly shoved her out of the way and took up the space at the com station.

"Well now that she's got that out of her system, would you two like to tell us if you are still functional up there?"

"Yes," Optimus nodded, "We both are."

"Good," The XO nodded to us, "What we need to do now is get you two back down here before anything else happens that puts you in any kind of danger."

"What else could possibly happen?" I asked, "We've been shanghaied, locked up, insulted, frozen…"

"Trust me Ma…" He stopped just short of the "mam" and noticed my glare, "Ahem, Sorry. Trust me Miss Angel, there are plenty of things that could still happen. For one thing we just got the report a few moments ago that Megatron is personally up there now looking for the two of you."

"OH that's just PERFECT!" I snarled.

Optimus looked down at me and probably would have shared my emotions if he could have in front of his troops, but managed to retain his composure for the moment.

"So Prowl, it's not really feasible for the two of us to try and get back across the space bridge."

"No that wont work," He agreed, "We'll have to send Omega to come and get the two of you."

"That's probably the safest thing to do at this point, Angel and I will wait for him…"

"AND ME!" Alyssa hollered, "Your NOT going up there unless I can go and kick her rump for this!"

Prowl proceeded to shove her out of the way again and finish telling us when and where Omega would be to pick the two of us up. It should have been simple as that unfortunately that was when all hell decided to break loose. Hell that started with an explosion sending everyone in the base running to see what was going on.

When we did finally manage to get a look out side I stood there and stared, gaping at the screen wondering just how things like this keep happening to me and mine. What was happening turned out to be Megatron, Shockwave and their goons standing there in the park we had been in less than a few hours ago. They were there and were methodically picking the place apart, solely for the sake of destroying it.

I managed to tear my eyes away from that and look up at Optimus. I looked up at him and I wished I hadn't.


	6. Circle Backwards: Part 6

Circle Backwards: Part 6

I was convinced, as I stood there and watched them tear what was left of the city apart, that some one on the Decepticons had finally lost their mind once and for all. They had either lost their minds or they had a decided death wish. That was the conclusion I came to as I followed Optimus out of Alpha Trion's lab and back into the city. The kids followed us back out into the city intent on helping Optimus and my self see why in the name of God they had decided that this would be a good idea.

For his part, poor Optimus was fuming. But like he almost always is he was doing his best to keep his emotions in check and do what was needed of him. Personally? I wouldn't think any less of him in any way if he rearranged Megatron's face with his fists. Still there was a time and a place for every thing and we had to find out what the big bad was up to before we could do any thing to get rid of him.

We rounded the corner just in time to see him waste what was left of the park and then turn on the group and smile.

"I was wondering if this would get your attention Prime," He smirked again, "It's nice to know that you are so very predictable where your emotions are concerned."

"What," Optimus ground out, "In the name of Primus do you think you are doing?"

"As I said, I was trying to get your attention." He stopped and crossed his arms, "Now then, I believe that you and I have a matter to discuss."

"I don't have any thing to discuss with you Megatron. So for once why don't you just let me be?" I literally heard Prime's hands ball into fists as he stood there. "Or is that just not possible for you?"

"Now now," Megatron held up his hands, "There is no need to make this so very personal. You merely have one of my men held prisoner and I wish to get his release."

"THEN why didn't you just ask while they were on earth?" This came from the red and orange kid before.

"Ahh yes," Megatron's frowns literally dropped about two feet as he looked at him, "The young and oh so very brash Hotrod, what a delight to finally meet you in person."

"Oh it's all mine," The kid continued, "Now why don't you take your attitude and leave. Before some one does something that they might end up regretting."

"So now you have children fighting your battles for you Prime," he made a face then turned back to Optimus, "Its as simple as this Prime either call your ark and have them release Motormaster immediately or I will continue to tear what is left of this miserable city of yours apart at the seams until you agree to do so."

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say to Optimus. To this day I am not even sure I saw him move to where Megatron was standing. He just seemed to materialize there one second and the next was in the process of trying to tear the Decepticon leader apart.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Prime growled, "HOW dare you come here and involve this city and the few innocents that still live here!"

"Don't fool your self Optimus," Megatron shot back, "This is a war, and you know as well as I do that there are no innocents."

Optimus' face suddenly contorted and he proceeded to first back hand Megatron and then slammed his head back down against the ground.

"The ONLY reason there are no innocents in this war is because you never let them be. YOU just keep pushing and destroying until every thing around you is wasted! YOU just can't let it go!"

Right then it occurred to Megs that he had crossed the line. There were things that Prime was willing to put up with but there were things the he held absolutely sacred. One of those things was the home that he had been willing to leave to try and save, then had come back and found out that there was almost nothing left to save. What little remained Megatron had willingly gone and put in danger and now had the audacity to be shocked at what was happening to him.

"You… what's wrong with you?" He demanded as he stared up at Optimus, "I've never… You never act like this!"

Optimus contorted his face again and slammed him once more, "You've never pushed me this far. Everything that has happened, the war, the fighting, the death, every thing is your fault!"

"You were the one that chose to fight me!" Megatron shot back.

Optimus narrowed his eyes and looked down at him, "You were the one that decided to KILL ME!"

Some thing some where in Megatron's mind finally clicked. He realized exactly what was looking down at him and that for the first real time in this long war he was in danger of loosing his life. That he had done all of this and now it was time for the devil to have his due.

"You wouldn't!" Megatron managed.

"Why not?" Prime looked at him, "That's what you want isn't it?"

I opened my mouth to say some thing but it wasn't me that was there to call Optimus back to reason. It was the kid, Hotrod.

"Because he's not worth it," Hotrod shook his head, "Not now."

Now I stepped up and looked at him, "He's right. I know he's hurt you, so much, but this isn't you Optimus."

He looked down at Megatron for a second, and then looked back at me and at the kid. Seconds passed and finally he let the Decepticon leader drop back on to the ground. Then stood up and walked over to where Hotrod was standing next to me.

"They're right." He narrowed his eyes, "I hate you, and I hate what I've had to become because of you. But you AREN'T worth it."

Megatron climbed to his feet and stared at him, looked behind himself at his stunned men, and then back to us.

"Get the hell out of my city." Prime told him.

For once, Megatron didn't argue. His troops gathered around him and they just vanished into the darkness of the ruined city. This left me standing there next to Optimus with Hotrod watching us. My opinion of the kid suddenly sky rocketed when he turned to the other kids that had followed us and were standing there gaping in shock.

"Come on," he nodded in the direction of the lab, "Let's get back and tell Alpha what happened. These two will be along when they make sure the area is secure."

Then I was alone with Prime, who was standing there in the ruins of the park that we had been grateful that was spared less than two hours ago. He just stood there for a long time and stared at it. I had no idea what to say so just walked over to him and put my hand on him.

"Optimus?"

He looked down at me for a second and then fell to his knees some how remembering to change size, or simply wanting to not be seen in this condition as he put his face into his hands and cried. I walked over to him and put my arms around him and once again, for my sake he tried to reign in his emotions.

"Angel ... I ..."

I held my hand up for him to stop and looked right in to his face, "Don't, okay? I understand." I felt my own face bunch up as I wanted to shed tears for his sake, "Go on Love."

He looked at me for a few second and then put his arms around me and cried. It wasn't the type of crying I do, but just quite sad tears for all that had been lost.

"I'm so sorry." I hugged him.

He must have heard some thing in my voice because he looked up at me, "For what?"

"I'm sorry for feeling the way I do Optimus." I shook my head, "I know you would rather be what you were when you were young, but I love you like this. Please don't hate what you are, because that's the man I love."

He looked at me for a second and then hugged me again, "Thank you."

I sat there for a long time just being there for him and allowing him to let the emotions that he was so often required keep inside, out. No one ever saw us, no one came to see if we were okay or to make sure that we were safe, and eventually he was able to calm down enough for us to head back to the base.

Hotrod was there waiting for us finally ready to make sure that both Optimus and I had come out of the whole incident.

"Hey are you two okay?" He managed.

"No," Optimus told him honestly, "But we will be. Thank you for your help while ago."

"Hey you're welcome," the young man smiled, "I know you'd do the same for me, and it's nice to know…" He stopped.

"To know what," I prompted.

"To know that some one still cares about Iacon," He looked out at the city, "It's nice to know that some one besides me wants to some day put it back the way it was."

Optimus looked at the young Autobot and finally smiled behind his mask, "Yes I do, and when I do promise me something?"

"What?"

Optimus put his hand on the young man's shoulder, "that you'll be there to help me."

"I promise." Hotrod agreed.

I stood there and watched the two of them. For some reason they struck me as being a lot a like. Maybe Hotrod was what Optimus had been when he was Orion, what ever it was it was nice to see that he could help put the life back into Prime's eyes.


	7. Epilog

Circle Backwards: Epilog

Two days later Omega Supreme finally showed up to rescue the two of us and take us back to the ark. I would like to say that I enjoyed my stay on Optimus' home world but to be honest I was happy to see my "Miserable Little Mud Ball" out the windows of the ship as we headed into land. For the first Time in nearly a week I wasn't freezing cold and things around me were actually alive.

Alyssa and Wheeljack proceeded to let the both of us have it for taking off on our own and informed me that we were never going to be allowed to do that again as long as we lived. It would have been funny, and it was kind of, but all things considered for once I just shut up and let her light into me.

Eventually we managed to get away from all the people that were around us and we wound up standing on the observation deck looking out at the landscape. I guess we were both still worn down and upset from everything that we just stood there for a long time staring out.

"So," I finally broke it, "I guess going back home for you was pretty terrible."

"I guess so," he told me back, "but in the long run I'm glad I did it."

"I don't see why," I sighed, "I think it was pretty miserable."

"Well it was," He leaned forward on the railing, "But it did do something good for me."

"It did?" I looked at him.

"Yes," He shook his head, "It showed me that it's not the only home I have in the universe. That I have some where else I can be and I don't NEED to be there to be who I am."

"No," I agreed with him, "I guess you don't. I am happy for you that you're happy here."

"Good" He stood up and came over and put his arms around me. "I have what I need here to belong for now, and that's enough."

"I hope so Optimus," I snuggled into him, "but if it's not just let me know and I promise I will make it better."

"Thank you."

He hugged me again and we stood there watching the sun go down. I had gotten a look at what was behind his real mask, and I was glad to know more about this man I loved. But it was hard to see how much he had been hurt. Still, I will admit that this some how made our love stronger and for that if nothing else. It was worth it.


	8. Lyrics and Notes

Circle Backwards: Notes and Lyrics

Author's notes: Well one more story finished. I hope you liked this latest effort of mine. Here's the song that set this one going, hope you like it as well.

RP1

Legal stuff; don't own the song or the TF's this is for amusement only.

Circle Backwards

On the outside

Looking in

On where I used to be long

Find the shelter to begin

Begin again

Another story line at the end

Or maybe another song

On the outside looking in

And I'm

Free to be lonely

It's not so bad my friend

Free to be lonely

Try the steps

And find me at home

I'm loosing again some how

Circle backwards

Again and again

Bound to have it

She's alone

With no one to fight with now

Circle backwards again and again

Free to be lonely

It's not so bad my friend

Free to be lonely

Starting out again

Free to be lonely

It's not so sad my friend

Free to be lonely

On the outside looking in

Where I don't need to be long

Find the shelter

Find it with in

Find it with in

Free to be lonely

It's not so bad my friend

Free to be lonely

Starting out again

Free to be lonely

It's not so sad my friend

Free to be lonely

On the outside

On the outside

On the outside looking in

Circle back wards

Again and again and again


End file.
